


The Lunar God

by Splotcher



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: AU, Finding one's purpose, Gen, M/M, Nightmare!pitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2017-12-07 12:38:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/748588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Splotcher/pseuds/Splotcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before Pitch was the Nightmare King, he was merely the first of the Nightmares, without purpose until he crossed paths with a terrible, beautiful lunar god. In saving the ones before from this god, Pitch inadvertently causes them to fear himself, sending he and his children down a lonely and desperate path as hated protectors. But the last battle was too much. Now the Guardians have to deal with the consequences of their actions. Sometimes, the people you trust are not as kind or noble as they appear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I was a nightmare before I was a man.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hope you all enjoy this intro piece. I have written for other fandoms (same name) and I do enjoy writing, though I don't get to do it nearly enough. I hope to put all of my stories here soon, but I thought I'd start here, with this fascinating little fandom I so enjoy. :). I hope you enjoy the beginning, constructive criticisms are welcomed with open arms, while nasty comments are set alight and used to roast marshmallows.
> 
> Mmmmm. Marshmallows.
> 
> So anyway, this is an AU piece where Pitch was never Kozmotis Pitchiner, but rather always a nightmare creature. Hope you enjoy. Parts where he is having flashbacks will be in first, all others in third (creative experiment).
> 
> \--Splotcher

I was a nightmare before I was a man.

It is a common fallacy to believe that all nightmares were female. All those after myself were, to be sure…but I was special. I was born of shifting gold and black sands, whorls of color across svelte black hide. I had no purpose. None of the first ones did. Spirits born of the ether of shifting sand and time, or light and dark, cold, fire and life and death. We gravitated to roles after others had been filled. I found my ability to affect the dreams of others early, but could not conceive of anything that would be useful for.

We were born naïve.

I remember when the first found purpose, though I cannot remember who it was, or what purpose it could have been. I remember that they were the first to die after the lunar god came. 

I remember the other spirits prostrated themselves before him because they knew not better. 

I remember anger. 

I remember rage.

And I certainly remember fear.

Because fear saved me. Fear of approaching the lunar god with bright light and understanding. Others went, they did not return.

I didn’t understand what it was, but I wanted to give it to others, so they understood. So they could be saved from what I somehow knew but couldn’t make them understand. Not through words.

So I gave them fear.

They ran from him then. But they also ran from me. I could not understand, oh how I chased! But they would not stay, their fear of me outweighing all else.

But at least I turned them from the smiling light god. 

And then he turned to me.

And in my agony, I understood my purpose.

Now my children wander the night. Black hooves clipping, scratching, sand hissing, room to room, shadow to shadow, dark and beautiful in their fear, carrying only the slightest remembrances of gold light in their eyes. It is best this way- another has taken the mantle of good dreams, and my children, they can focus all their energy on that life-saving skill. Fear. All needed it, to combat the lunar god. 

But sometimes I feel strange, my actions cannot be controlled. It gets worse as the shadows increase, filling me, bloating me with power. Everything fears me then. But when there is too little fear, my desperation shows, because they start to gravitate towards the lunar god and his smiles and understanding, and I desperately want them to see what I see, that thing worse than fear past his eyes. But he is a better shifter than I, and when they look at him all they see is beauty.

Terrible, terrible beauty.

*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^

He no longer has hooves. Sometimes, when he is feeling particularly nostalgic, he remembers what it sounds like to have footsteps.

But he is silent, and sneaky, and scary and all the things that follow being a creature of darkness. 

And he is weak. His defeat at the hands of the guardians, the inexplicable turning of his children against him in their fear driven feeding frenzy, all of these have made his hands shake, gait unsteady. Cages swing above him, groaning now, breaking a once beautiful muted silence.   
And tired. Was his battle against the old Lunar G-The man in the moon, in vain? Why did he still fight the man? What was the purpose, if those that protected children against all evil bowed so easily to his influence?

Nightmares scatter around him, ashamed at attacking their parent in hunger. But they were always hungry, it was not their fault. 

He patted one absently, whispering listless words of love into her mane. So few returned to him. Others had been changed to golden dust, lost forever. He would cry if he had anything left inside to feel. But he was drained; there was nothing but an always present desire to protect his children. 

And protect them he would. This battle cost far too much. He was tired of protecting a universe that did not love him, could not even stand the sight of him! If they were so inclined, let them be taken by the Moon Man. He would keep his children, what precious few he had, and dive to the depth of darkness and let the terrible beautiful god have his surface world.

They never wanted him there anyway.


	2. Sleep until the world becomes better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's not quite right in Burgess, and Pitch tucks his children in for a long Nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy, ROtG not mine, and will never be, but I intend to read the books one day. Constructive criticisms or suggestions are always welcome, nasty comments will be laughed at and then forgotten. 
> 
> Oh, and I've been debating putting more personifications in this story. I have a few picked out, but I'd love more input.
> 
> Oh and before I forget, thank you to those that commented/bookmarked/left kudos/ or simply read the story. I do this mostly for my own enjoyment, but I am always pleased when someone else reads. Thank you.
> 
> \--Splotcher

The snow fell in beautiful flurries. Just enough. 

Just enough for snow days and fun, that is.

Jack began packing some of his special snowballs as the children came toddling out into the snow. He threw one with stunning accuracy and caught Jamie right in the face.

Jamie looked shocked and stared straight at him with a big smile. “Hey Jack!”

“Hey buddy, how’s it going?”

“Great! Yesterday, we went sledding down Breyer Street.”

“…There wasn’t a whole lot of snow down Breyer Street. And isn’t that street kinda busy?” Jack looked at him a bit worriedly. Kids will be kids, but….

“Yeah, but it was only a little scary. Hey, did you do that thing with the moon last night? Or was it a friend of yours?”

Jack looked puzzled. “What thing with the moon?”

“The moon talked to me last night, and to Cupcake and the other kids. He said he was glad to have us back. I didn’t think he actually went anywhere.” Jamie bent down to pack a snowball. “Everything’s been so great lately! I haven’t had one bad dream in weeks!”

“Well that’s good.” Jack frowned a bit. “The man in the moon actually talked to you guys?”

“Yeah. Is he a friend of yours?”

“Oh yeah…sort of. I mean, we’ve only talked, like, twice. But I hear he’s pretty cool.”

“Awesome. I’ll tell the others. Tonight is gonna be awesome!” Jamie is off before Jack can call him back.

Jack stares after him and shrugs. Maybe there’s some sort of party tonight he doesn’t know about. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

My first child was borne of my own sand. So beautiful. She whickered at me, unsteady hooves and full of darkness and life, with golden hide and black hooves, one gold stripe of sand blazing across her face. 

I called her Seraphina.

But he took her away. He took away any bit of her that was me and left in her place a strange green brown creature that followed him without question.

It tore out my heart, and all that came after felt my sorrow. They held none of that beautiful gold color. None but in their eyes.

Poetic.

Pathetic.

^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^**^

He hushes a small mare to sleep as if fitfully fights the lull of dreams. It is so used to giving nightmares, it does not know how to sleep.

Other mares have settled alongside or inside stalactites, their sand hardening, protecting them for a long sleep. 

He will not go to sleep until they have rested their powerful heads. When they awaken they will be ravenous, but that is nothing new. 

He sometimes wonders if he is the cause of that hunger. Children of the other elder spirits often take on their quirks, and he had been full of need and dread for a long time. 

The little mare snuffles fitfully. It is only a few years old, born from the dream sand that he changed to make her. It has been a long time since he actually made children from himself. Their loss hit him harder than the ones made from others’ magic. 

He kisses her on the ear and she finally settles. She is one of three that had been refusing the dreaming. The others had already settled, and the quiet in this cavern in the center of the earth is no longer comfortable. It is stifling with apprehension, guilt, and regret.

Is this what he had been reduced to? Hiding away in the darkness? Hoping against hope that when the Lu- Man in the Moon came, he would somehow pass over his children and himself? Hoping that when they awoke, they could survive his interference?

That when they awoke, it would somehow be a better place?

Look at what desperation had driven him to. A last stand at the center of the earth. He and barely threescore children.

He should laugh. It’s funny. He protected the universe so long from that menace that now he had nearly nothing to show for it.

^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^**^*^**^*^*^**^**^*

After putting a light frost on Los angeles, Jack went back to Burgess to see Jamie and his friends. He waited at the busstop for twenty minutes, watching the bus come with a startling lack of children and leave with the driver whistling a merry tune.

He stared after it, puzzled. Then he hopped from the sign and headed to Jamie’s house. 

Jamie’s mom was cooking a meal, hair askew, as the dog sat howling in the kitchen. She paid it no mind. The dog even ran forward and bit her on the ankle. She just laughed and threw a piece of bacon on the floor.

Definitely strange. He hopped over to Jamie’s window. There was no one pretending to be sick inside.

There was no child in Sophie’s room. 

Jamie’s father was missing.

What was going on?

An abrupt ringing caught his attention. Jamie’s mom picked up the telephone and began chattering happily into it while the dog whined, not touching the bacon on the floor.

“Hey Susan…Yes I know, it is an honor. He was chosen from all those children. He went with Sophie and his father. I know. It’s wonderful to have the house to myself….uh hunh….yeah….well, I expect them to be back in a few days….oh really, your son too?....Well, that’s just perfect. As long as he’s with his father, he’ll be fine….I know….I know….I’ll put my face on and go out with the girls, drinks at Samasons!” She laughed and hung up the phone. Jack watched with morbid fascinationg as she messily put on makeup and stumbled out the door, dog whining as she left, clothed in her pajamas and a purse.

What the hell was going on? 

Above him, a sudden rush of magic…an aurora. A Guardian meeting.

He put Jamie’s mother out of his mind for the moment and headed toward the North pole.

*^*^*^**^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The last mare falls asleep half in and half out of a stalagmite. He pushes sand around her to cradle her head so she would be comfortable. 

He checks over each mare as they slip deeper and deeper into sleep. It will take a great deal to wake them…and to harm them, in this state. Wound around rock, they will be difficult to kill in sleep. 

He is not ready to sleep yet. Maybe, he muses, it is because he wants to see the destruction of the thing he wanted so to save. A type of closure, if it could be called that. Proof that there was nothing he could have done?

Just one last night. One last night to breath in the bittersweet air of the world above. Then he will return to his children and sleep.


	3. Fear is a Powerful Motivator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to get ugly as the Man in the Moon seeks to secure his power and Pitch realizes what a mistake he's made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again all. 
> 
> Thank you to the people who have been reviewing/kudos(ing?)/ and bookmarking. I appreciate the interest.
> 
> As usual, constructive criticism is loved! Mean comments will be used to fuel my burning creativity.
> 
> To those of you curious, I once read a story about how Puss in Boots was actually female, and it stuck with me. So....Puss is a female in this story.
> 
> Please enjoy this installment.
> 
> \--Splotcher

The globe was as bright as ever. There didn’t seem to be an empty space on any continent. And wasn’t that strange? 

“I didn’t think anyone lived in that section of Africa. It’s supposed to be uninhabitable.” Jack frowns at it.

“Tell that to the kids I just collected teeth from. They lost them climbing up a slope. While, might I add, being bitten by flies as big as my fairies. I have no idea what they were doing there. There was maybe two adults around, and they acted like it wasn’t a big deal. As big as my fairies, Jack!”

“I had to scare away some kids in Egypt from stealin’ crocodile eggs. To see if they were painted, can you imagine? It’s like they just lost all sense! As if I’d paint crocodile eggs either. Surface is all wrong.”

“Bunny, please. Is just an egg.” North patted him on the shoulder. Bunny flattens his ear indignantly.

“What if I told you it was just a toy?!”

“Be serious.” North waved them all into seats around a table. “I am calling you here in matter of great importance. Children acting strangely is now least of worries.”

“I’m sorry, children running into uninhabitable areas and stealing crocodile eggs isn’t a problem?” Jack asked, staring at the jolly red giant.

“Is problem. But maybe lesser of two evils. I have reports from the yetis and elves. Hundreds of children across the world have suddenly gone missing. It is if they were never there, Poof!”

“My fairies have been reporting the same thing. Teeth under pillows, no children sleeping.”

“Any sign of struggle?” Bunny shifted his focus from the egg to her.

“Nothing. Its as if they just left for a few minutes and never came back.”

“Uh…this may be a weird question, but how are the parents taking it?” Jack felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“My fairies don’t pay attention to adults.”

“Yetis and eleves same. But they must be worried.”

“Well…maybe. Maybe not. Jamie’s mom was acting really weird today, and I haven’t seen Jamie or his friends. No one was on the bus to school today. Sophie is gone. And His mom kept on talking to someone on the phone about being chosen.”

Bunny twitched his nose. “Chosen for what?”

“I have no idea. But if we find out, maybe we can find out where the kids went.” Jack said, rising from the table.

“Right. Where is Jamie’s mother now?” North got up and followed him.

“At someplace called Samasons. It sounded like she was meeting other people that might have had family chosen. Seems a good a place as any to start.”

^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The moon is very bright tonight, he muses. In this part of the hemisphere, it looks especially inviting. No doubt in other parts of the world the sun is shining and just as beautiful.

But it will be taken over by the moon soon enough.

From his perch on the dark rocky mountainside he watches as men and children stumble down into the valley heedless of the danger of moving down such a sheer slope. An adult loses his footing, crashing down into the darkness. Children point and laugh, no fear that they will share the same fate.

Was this how mankind was supposed to be? Was this the path he had kept them from for so many years? To strike out bravely across the unknown, not even fearing the harm that may come to them? The ‘courage’ they so lauded in all of their stories?

A boy rushing past an adult in some obvious game pushes the man into an oncoming child. Neither shriek as they tumble down the sheer slope, hitting rocks and branches as they fell. Had they fear, they would have screamed. Now, they just stumbled upright a bit farther down, laughing. No fear that bones wouldn’t heal, or that they wouldn’t persevere, or that they could fall again.

He watches them file into the valley, and curiosity overtakes him. He follows them, not knowing why. 

He slinks behind this group, watches as the join a larger gathering, circling with hypnotic movements around a youth in shimmering mother of pearl. The heavy tree cover provides ample shadows from the moon’s light.

The youth raises his arms.

“Friends! Welcome to the first meeting of the Moon Chosen!”

He scowls at that.

“Friends!” The youth continues. “Through the help of the Man In the Moon’s Guardians, we have defeated the evil shadows that plagued our dreams!”

The crowd began to cheer, though the adults looked troubled.

“The Man in the Moon has called us here because you believers were the strongest, and shone the brightest of all!”

The crowd began to cheer louder.

“Such believers are to be rewarded. We are now the chosen! The Man in the Moon chose us, just like the Guardians!”

The youth stepped forward, arms out to the crowd. “We must now act in his stead. Where the Guardians were the shield, we are the sword!”

A few of the parents stumbled from the crowd, now more confused than ever. The men looked at each other, one even mouthing ‘Guardians?’ to the others.

“He has gathered us here so that we can strike down his enemies. And to reward our parents, who kept us safe for most of our lives, he grants them the greatest prize he can bestow!”

Moon beams began to touch the crowd lovingly, centering on groups of men as children moved away.

“An eternal service as Protectors of the Chosen!”

The parents that had somehow broken free of the crowd turned as if to run, but only served to give Pitch a firsthand look at what a Protector of the Chosen actually was.

Faceless. Moonbeams covered up their faces and washed them of any individuality. Pearl armor formed around them, forcing them straight as pieces snapped into place. Soon, that was all there was. 

Faceless men in shining armor, emitting soft moon light. They stay still as death, waiting for a command as children clapped and cheered their new ‘Protectors’.

What terrible beings they were. Seeing them act as such fills him with dread. 

“Now there is but one thing left to do!” The children turn to the youth as the Protectors stayed where they were. “We must defeat the Man in the Moon’s sworn enemy once and for all! We must make it so all of his light may touch every surface of this world. When this is done, we will join him on the Moon, and our world will be forever saved from darkness!”

The youth turned now, picking something up from the ground and holding it aloft. Pitch feels all the fear in this place make itself known inside of him as he recognizes the torch for what it is.

“We will burn this place. We will burn all the places darkness hides. We will destroy all of the hiding places that nightmares may sleep, so that good dreams keep us forever!”

His breathing becomes faster as he watches a moonbeam pass over the torch, lighting it with searing white flame.

He flees from the valley as fast as he can when the youth touches it to the first tree.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^

Samason’s is packed with women of all types, merrily drinking from bottles and chattering about everything while saying nothing.

They all sit in loose groups, strange and horrible caricatures of merrymaking. 

“Some of these women are still in their pajamas. And I’m pretty sure none have looked in a mirror lately.”

Jamie’s mom was in a loose group of women, chattering aimlessly, hair a mess and makeup askew. Other women around her were in various stages of disarray. They talked, plastered on smiles, animatedly waving hands.

It was all so…wrong. He could feel it in his chilled bones, something about this was just so terribly wrong.

On a whim, he hops forward, moving to the crowd as his fellow guardians call to him to stop.

“-and they were so proud!”

“My son has the best chance-“

“My daughter will be one for sure!”

“Did you see the news-“

“Where is Jamie?” He asks the woman when he finally reaches her table. She keeps talking about some recipe she’s making. Of course she wouldn’t hear him.

“Where is Jamie? And Sophie? Don’t you care?” He asks her in frustration. He bends in close to her face to yell but stops suddenly.

She’s crying.

And still chattering happily about recipes. Everything about her is a picture of strange joviality. But around her eyes, tears are slipping out. 

He looks at the other women. Some are gripping their glasses so tightly they could shatter in a second. Others have nervous twitches. Still others are like Jamie’s mom, happily talking as tears pour down their faces.

What was this?

“Jack Frost.”

He whirls around fast, staff at the ready, pointing at a young girl that was looking at him steadily. 

“Hello Jack Frost.”

“Who are you? Shouldn’t you be at home? Is your mom here?”

“My mother has been dead for over seven hundred years, Jack Frost.”

“You’re a spirit.”

“Yes.”

“Oookay….wanna tell me who you are?” He leaned against the staff, looking at her. She looked eerily reminiscent of someone he knew.

“I am Puss in Boots.” She hikes up her skirt to show off a cowboy boot.

“Aren’t you supposed to be a cat?”

“Sometimes. But that’s not important. Jack Frost, you need to hurry. There are people dying.”

“What do you mean? Is Jamie-“

“Part of the problem? Oh yes. You need to hurry Jack. The woods are burning.”

“Wait, what? Hey!”

The girl (Puss in Boots?) disappeared into the crowd.

What the hell was that about? He turned to look at the Guardians to see them frantically waving him over, looks of dread on their faces.

Oh, this night was just going to get better and better, wasn’t it?

^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^

The smoke is invasive and burns. He blocks it the best he can, sealing the rest outside with the flames. He tries to avoid what small clouds have yet to dissipate.

Creatures have fled into this cave, down, down, to the center of the earth where his children sleep, fearing the fire more than the presence of the King of Nightmares. Will O’ Wisps huddle against the ceiling, morphing into more physical shapes and blinking back into globes. Normal animals huff and snort in the darkness, calmed as they no longer feel the oppressive heat.

Other spirits of the forest, some he knows of, some he has never seen flit amongst the rock formations.

He can taste their fear. Strange, how it has left all of mankind but not the spirits and beasts. 

The entrance is blocked, but it is only a temporary measure. The fire will not breach this place, but the Moon Chosen will, if they find it. 

He knows in his heart they will. It is only a matter of time.

Stupid! Stupid to believe that if he stayed away from the surface the Man in the Moon would leave him be. Stupid to hope that if he let him have the surface he would be content. Now…

He turned to watch a mare sleep. She was deep in the dreaming now. She probably wouldn’t wake up if the cave was stormed now. She would dream and dream and simply not wake up. Humans all over the world wished for such a death.

And she would have it. But not before he made sure all of those little brats and their ‘Protectors’ felt his rage and fear. He would kill every single one that made it into this cavern. Because he felt fear for the ones he loved, and they did not.

And fear is a truly powerful motivator.


	4. Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The forest is burning, Pitch needs (and receives) help, and there is seriously something wrong with those kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, sorry about the wait. I am currently getting ready to move, finish a semester of schooling, and do a few other things....needless to say, the schedule is a tad bit hectic.
> 
> As always, constructive criticisms are welcome. Flames are not desired, but are also welcomed, because it has been cold here recently, and I need something to put in my fireplace.
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the chapter.
> 
> \--Splotch

Smoke unlike anything he had ever felt clung to his skin as the sleigh crested the top of the mountain. 

It was destruction in its purest sense. Smoke that burned his skin and smelled uncomfortably like burning hair coiled across the landscape like a hungry living thing, betraying the white flames beneath that burned without sound. 

Not that it was needed. Screams of animals and otherworldly creatures echoed in the air, too distorted to pinpoint. From the clearings where the white fire had not touched, creatures both normal and fae bolted in terror from their burning homes.

“What is this?” Tooth whispered fearfully as they passed over the forest burning with otherworldly white flames. 

“It’s terrible, is what it is.” Bunny pressed a paw over his nose. “Gaw! I can smell…you don’t want to know what I can smell.”

“I can imagine.” North rumbled grimly, trying to keep the reindeer on their path as they struggled to steer away from the smoke. 

“This fire isn’t natural. Nothing burns like this.” Jack said as he jerked his hand reflexively away from a tendril of smoke. Not even Pitch’s nightmares made his skin crawl like this did.

Pitch. Could he be responsible for this?

“Do you think Pitch is behind this?”

“Possibly. Children disappearing, people acting strangely, but is out of character. No one appears to be afraid.” North yanked on the reins hard again.

“I don’t know. Pitch is slippery enough to make that work.” Bunny hissed through a paw, eyes watering. The smoke was affecting him worse than anyone.

Sandy suddenly tugged on his sleeve and pointed to an opening in the smoke, where a dozen pinpoint white fires burned as a group.

“What are those?” He pointed. North looked down where Jack was pointing.

“Torches.”

“You mean there are people still down there?” Tooth looked horrified. “They’ll die!”

“They’re carrying torches. They may have caused this!”

“That doesn’t mean we should let them die. Besides, how else will we get answers?” Jack shot back at Bunny.

The reindeer bucked hard as North steered them to the clearing.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^

He knew when they breached the cave. It was only a matter of time.

He felt it in the smoke that touched his stretched shadows, causing him to draw back in disgust. 

Normal animals and forest spirits alike began to stir restlessly, hiding behind rock formations as clanking began to ring dimly from somewhere at the entrance of the cave. 

“Why are they doing this? What have we done?” One of the spirits whispered above his head.

“They seek to destroy the forest with white flames. I heard one of them claim to destroy all shadows.”

“If we give them the dark one, will they leave us be?”

“Your forest is already burned, little one. If they had any desire to stop at me, they wouldn’t have lit the entire forest ablaze.” He said tersely to the space in front of him.

“You don’t know that!”

“I know enough that what I say is true. But you are welcome to meet the Moon touched and see if they will spare you. You did seek shelter in the cave of the Nightmare King.” He said boredly, still not looking up.

“The moon has never harmed us before! His touched will not harm us now!”

“I’m sure your friends outside in the blaze share your sentiments.” His voice dripped in condescension.

The forest sprite quieted. The clanking drew ever closer.

The wildlife began to shift uncomfortably some snarling, others stamping hooves. They knew what was coming. Strange, how he could still taste their fear. It gave him a mediocrum of strength needed to pull his scythe from the shadows. 

He stayed steady.

When the clanking grew ever louder and the sprites above his head began to rustle fearfully, he thought he might go mad with anticipation. This waiting was far worse than anything he had ever known. Far worse than defeat.

But in a way, it filled him with a bizarre sort of calm. This was inevitable. The battle was inevitable. His death…well….

He would just have to see.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*

When the sleigh landed, they barely had time to jump off before the reindeer broke free and tore off unerringly toward the North. He couldn’t blame them. He wanted to go too. The falmes from the sky were horrible. Up close, they were unbearable.

But he had to stay. Because the people holding the torches were children.

They saw them and cheered when the Guardians approached, not a bit of fear in their collective eyes. It was…wrong. He would never want to see a child afraid, but these children were fearless as the world around them burned. They had caused it.

“Uh…hey guys. What are you doing?” He pasted a smile on his face and approached.

“Hello Jack!” A girl walked forward. He recognized her with a twist in his chest-she was one of Jamie’s friends. “I’m so glad to see you. Did you hear the good news? We were chosen to protect the world, just like you!”

“Like…? Did you do this? Do you understand what you are doing? You shouldn’t be here. This is dangerous.”

“We won’t be harmed. The Protectors will guard us. The Man in the Moon said so. “

“The Man in the Moon told you to burn down the forest? That can’t be right! Why would he do that?”

“To destroy darkness, of course.” She gave him a pitying look. “When we destroy the darkness, we will have good dreams forever. But we have to bring light to all the corners of the earth first, to hunt down the evil one.”

“The evil one?” He can feel his heart stuttering in his chest. This…this is wrong. Children should not act like this.

“Pitch Black!” She smiles at him, childish hope and wonder and terrible joy. “If we stop him once and for all, then we will be in peace forever! The man in the moon told us so!”

“Pippa…This is wrong. You are hurting a lot of people, you have to stop. Look around you! The forest is burning! Spirits that live here are dying!”

“The Man in the Moon says that only Pitch will be harmed.”

“Pippa, are you listening to yourself? Other people have already been harmed! Can’t you hear them? Things that live in this forest are dying! You could die!”

She made a noise of dismissal. “I’m not scared. I’m not scared of anything.”

He couldn’t stand it. This was not the girl he knew, this was not Jamie’s friend. His frustration boiled to the point where he had to do something.

He slammed his staff down with all of his strength. The cold wind and frost extinguished the fires of the torches and blew through the forest, putting out a massive swathe of white flames.

“Listen to yourself! This isn’t you!”

She stared at her torch with wide eyes. “You put out the light.”

“It was hurting people.” He felt suddenly apologetic, seeing her shock.

“You are against the Man in the Moon.” She turned back slowly to him, something unrecognizable in her eyes.

“Wha-what?”

“You put out the light! You are as bad as the one who brings us nightmares. You will allow him to rise up again. Call the Protectors!”

“I think this may have escalated quickly mate.” Bunnymund put a massive paw on his shoulder. “These kids…there’s something wrong with them. We need to leave- Crikey!”

Bunnymund hopped back with a yelp, dragging Jack as the white armored soldier appeared and tried to skewer them with a spear. Several more appeared and raised their weapons, marching on Jack.

“They found him!” A shrill voice screamed on the ridge, full of excitement. “They found the shadow! He’ll be dead soon, and we’ll go to the moon!”

The children seemed to forget instantly about Jck and started cheering, running up the slope after the excited child.

But the Protectors did not share their enthusiasm. They kept advancing, slow, sure, inevitable.

“They’re trying to kill Pitch.” He whispered, still in shock at how quickly things were moving.

“We have our own problems.” North grumbled, hefting a saber. Tooth shook her head.

“But they want to kill him. He may be our only way of knowing what’s going on! If he dies, how will we know how to fix this?”

“I agree, Pitch is probably the key to this. None of these kids feel fear, but they want to kill Pitch! Why?” Jack wove a bit of frost at one of the metal automatons, causing it to stumble.

“Is good question. Why don’t you and Tooth find out, we take care of these ones!” North broke the strange curved weapon of one armored creature with a quick swipe.

He met eyes with Tooth and nodded, dodging the wide swipe of one creature and shooting off into the forest after the children.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^

There were more Protectors than he had estimated at the beginning. 

When the first had entered into the dark pit of shadows, he had been waiting. He knocked it back with a shadow, swinging the scythe low and tearing a hole in the mother of pearl armor. 

The scream of terror and pain had been both musical and excruciating. The man that tried to freee himself out of the hole had been quickly covered up. His fear had dissipated as soon as the armor became whole.

From then, it was merely a massacre.

His blade shot out with dangerous accuracy, severing weapons from Protectors, sometimes with limbs still attached. He used shadows to fight several at once, casting fear about as hard as he could. But Fear did not penetrate that terrible metal.

They would fall…at least for a short while. Then they would stagger upright, reaching for limbs and weapons, the metal sealing them back together, even as their was no hope they could be reunited with their living body.

If he was not so sure he would die very soon, he might have used them to fuel the nightmares of many a mortal.

He managed to dodge a blade thrown by a Protector. It cut the air beside him and landed deep within a stalactite. 

The mare within woke up suddenly at the cold intrusion into her dreamsand and screamed in unholy terror and pain. He gritted his teeth against it, willed himself to fight through the agony of his child’s pain.

Her screams roused the other nightmares and they began to clamor in terror as well. As he felt their fear feed into him, he became stronger…but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. He had been foolish, and now he wouldn’t even be able to give his daughters the peaceful death they had so deserved. 

A lucky strike from one of the many Protectors drove him back, clutching at a wound in his lower chest. He retaliated in a furious, rage filled swing of his scythe, fully severing the Protector’s head. The Protector fell, and did not get up or move to put himself back together.

High pitched laughter from the cavern opening caused him to look up. There, the horrible children of the moon lined the cavern mouth clapping with joy as if this murderous dance was some sort of awful game that they were happily playing. He stopped another Protector as he did the first and they booed as if it were some sort of sport.

Their own fathers. Who was the monster now?

He stumbled back under the renewed onslaught of the Protectors. There were too many to fight. Perhaps if he and his children rushed them, a few might survive this battle.

Maybe if he went after those children, his own could escape-

A blast of cold air and blur of bright green feathers robbed his thoughts as the Protectors were scattered. Seeing an opening, forest sprites and animals alike dove for the exit, pushing aside children in an attempt to escape. Some didn’t make it. Throughout all of it, the hideous little children laughed, laughed at their misfortune.

But this was his chance as well.

“Run! Back to the cold and dark! I will meet you there!” He swung the scythe at the children, knocking them aside with the flat of the blade. 

Nightmares reared and dashed for the opening. All except two made it out. They screamed as they died. They screamed over the cheers of young children.

He never hated them as much as he did right now. He grasped the scythe, fully intending to use the sharp edge against them this time.

A cold hand grabbed his. “We have to go!”

“I don’t have to do anything with you, Frost!” He shoved the impertinent little sprite back.

“If you don’t go, you will die.” Jack Frost hissed at him. He looked furiously at the Winter Sprite. 

“Why do you care?”

“Can we talk about that after we get away from the scary armored men?” Tooth yelled above them throwing a knife at an approaching Protector.

“You said you’d meet them there!” Jack said desperately. He stared at the boy, a little surprised. “You don’t want to let them down, do you?!”

He had a valid point.

There would be time to exact his revenge on the Moon Touched later.

Jack saw it in his eyes and immediately turned to the children, knocking them harmlessly back with some cool air and frost. They made their escape to the sound of disappointed children and clanking metal.


	5. You asked for a world without fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guardians find Pitch, and successfully rescue him. But Pitch has no desire to stay and talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. So sorry for the unexpected hiatus. I'm afraid rl got in the way (as it is wont to do when you are finishing school, trying to get a job and stay afloat fiscally). I cannot guarantee periodic updates, but I will try to update once a week. I hope those of you that read this before do not think too harshly of me, and that those that read now will enjoy.
> 
> Oh, and what am I missing? Oh yes. The guardians do not belong to me. I wish they did, but on the other hand, I don't think I could have done as good a job.
> 
> Thank you to all the readers, especially ones that wondered when I would begin writing again. You are partially to blame for my return. Wear it as a badge or hide it, I mind neither. Thank you everyone that left comments/kudos/bookmarks. I appreciate it.
> 
> \--Splotcher

Aster knew when the forest died.

Forests were not just a landscape. They were a living entity, where the combination of plants and animals together created a consciousness, a heartbeat that only occurred once in a great while. And like any living creature, if you hurt it enough, took away enough of its limbs…it died.

And as the guardian of Hope and New Beginnings, the thought made him stumble. It tore at him, in a way that anyone that wasn’t at least part beast could never understand. 

“This is hopeless. The forest is gone!” He roared over the head of one of the freakish mother of pearl automatons.

“We must fight until we get back with Tooth and Jack. We hang on just a bit longer! There are ony a couple more!”

“Be easier if the damn things just stayed down!”

After Tooth and Jack had left, four more of the “automatons” had shown up, outnumbering the three guardians three to one. They had managed to whittle down the numbers slowly, but the only tried and true method of keeping the enemy down was to behead them. 

Aster didn’t like the liquid that poured out of them when that happened. He had his suspicions. If they weren’t apparently trying to kill Pitch, he’d say the twisted bastard had thought this up.

One went down under an onslaught of yellow sand. It stayed down. Sandy always did a good job. 

The last didn’t even stop to think or mourn the fallen companions around it. It just kept coming. A few hard chops from North finally bought the creature down.

He didn’t dare look at the body. He had seen enough glimpses while they fought to be afraid of what he’d see inside the terrible armors. 

The forest was still burning around them, flames retaking what Jack had put out. If theydidn’t leave soon, they would not be able to. If Jack didn’t show up soon-

A shock of green feathers landed amongst them and three adrenaline guardians rose weapons to fight.

“Whoa! Whoa, it is just me. We have to get out of here. Jack is right behind me with Pitch. Do you have a snowglobe?!”

“Best idea I hear all day.” North huffed, yanking out a globe. 

“Yeah, well hurry, there are more of those things coming. They really don’t like Pitch!”

“Yeah, well, they can join the club.”

“You’re all heart, rabbit.” The dark voice behind him made him turning in midair with boomerangs in either paw. Jack and Pitch, looking much worse for wear, were standing before him.

“You bas-“ He began just as a burst of cold air ruffled his fur. 

“All right, we argue later, everyone through portal now!”

“What about the forest?” Jack asked as Sandy and North ran through the portal.

“Dead. Nothing we can do about it now. Maybe if we get him out of the forest, they’ll stop trying to burn it.” Aster said as he turned to leave.

The last thing he heard before stepping through was Pitch’s mutter.

“I doubt it.”

*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^  
I remember the first time I fought with him.

If it could be called that. I was young. Brave. Stupid. Hopeless.

Depressed. Suicidal.

He struck me down. My hooves split, my legs broke. My lungs burned, my very life force tearing and burning.

But he was arrogant. I escaped. And I retaliated by causing the first of the dark ages. It weakened him, all that fear.

But he always came back. And never again did I try to face him head on. 

&*&*&*&**&*&

 

When the Guardians plus one came inside North’s workshop, the yetis and elves hurried to part before them. Pitch was a known evil, and the last time he was in the workshop was still fresh in their minds. The Guardians stopped in front of the globe. Every land surface pulsed with a bright, harsh yellow. 

Jack looked at the globe and gave a sidelong look to North. “With all this belief, do you feel stronger?”

North looked at him, and then frowned. “A little. But not nearly enough for what we are seeing. This…this belief…I am not thinking it is natural.”

“What could be causing this?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Bunny cut in, glaring at the dark man. Pitch glared back at him, but it was tempered with weariness.

“They were trying to kill you, surely you would know some-You’re hurt!” Tooth flitted down to pull away Pitch’s coat, revealing the ugly wound on his lower chest. “We need to get this patched up. It looks bad.”

“Nuh-uh. He answers questions now, then we patch him up if he tells us what we want to hear.” Bunny planted his big feet down and drew himself up to his full height.

“That may be difficult rabbit. Because I can assure you that anything I say to you on this matter you will either disbelieve or regret hearing.” Pitch glared back.

“Why don’t we do both, my yetis patch you up and we hear what you have to say.” North

“How about we don’t? I have no interest in letting your ugly apes touch me.”

“You have to let someone look at that wound.” Tooth persisted.

“Really? How kind of you to offer. But I’ve had far worse and survived. I can survive without your false sympathy. In fact, I prefer it.”

“But-“

“We are not friends. We are not even allies. I will tell you what I know to be true about what is happening, and only because you cleared the way in the cave. And because the truth will surely hurt you in ways that I never could.” With every word, the shadows around Pitch writhed angrily. Tooth flitted back away.

“Oh yeah? Well, why don’t you enlighten us?” Bunny snarled.

“Very well. Since you are so eager to have your world crumble about you. These children that you so loved and protected are now the Moon Chosen. Chosen by the Man in the Moon to eradicate all darkness. To be his harbingers. And I hope you aren’t too attached to adults. Because I’m fairly sure you killed a few of their fathers. Not that they cared, of course. They no longer have fear. No fear of the nightmares and darkness. No fear they will be harmed. No fear that they may never see their parents again.” He took a moment here to survey their quiet shock, and smirked humorlessly. “Congratulations. You stopped me from bringing about the next Dark Age. A world where children don’t fear nightmares and bad dreams. Now you will all get to see the world you asked for. And now you must live with those consequences. I’m done.”

Pitch turned from the shocked congregation and strode away towards the nearest shadow.

“Wait!”

A gold figure parked himself in Pitch’s way. He glanced over his shoulder. Jack stood there a few steps behind. “We have questions. You can’t just leave with that, we need to know more about what we’re up against.”

“What is there to know? The Lu- Man in the Moon is already well-known to you. Surely you could not have worked with him for this long without knowing what he is…or have you? What a pity. That is why you should get to know the people you work with. I don’t have the luxury I’m afraid. He’s been around a long time and so have I, you get to know each other rather well. But now he has you. Or had you. I imagine he won’t look too fondly upon his pets bringing me to their home. But you served your purpose, didn’t you? You have only yourselves to blame. You wanted a world where I had no power. You have it. Enjoy it while you still are alive to cling to your morals.” He neatly side stepped Sandy and disappeared into the shadows.

The Guardians stared at the darkness. Suddenly, North moved violently, slamming a hand down on a worktable. “Is not true! It is some mistake, this is not the Man in Moon I know! We will have audience with him. That will clear everything up.”

Jack watched him quietly, gripping his staff, images of Pippa moving through his mind. He wasn’t so sure.

^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^**^*^*^**^^*^*^*^*


	6. Whisper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians talk to MiM, but things do not go as they expected, Pitch finds his children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, hope you had a good week. :)
> 
> As usual, RoTG not mine, noway, nohow.
> 
> Thank you for reading/reviewing/kudosing this work. I appreciate your feedback.
> 
> Please do leave comments, constructive or otherwise. I love to hear how I might improve or just general comments upon the story. Flames, should they appear, will be poked at with fascination before either being used to toast smores or burn the multitude of bills I get every month. Maybe both. It depends on the intensity.
> 
> That being said, I hope you enjoy this installment.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> \---Splotcher

The flurry of activity has undertones of strain and worry. The Yetis were busy watching and double-checking various things with the Tooth fairies while North paced the main room, every once in a while looking up to the ceiling at the “Moon window” as Jack had dubbed it.

The moon wasn’t quite up yet. It would take a few more minutes before North could speak with him.

Jack sat up in the rafters next to Tooth, clutching his staff and casting worried glances at the globe. Baby Tooth was inside his hood with a few of her sisters.

“Why is this happening?” Tooth whispered beside him. “It isn’t supposed to happen like this. Children are not supposed to act like this.”

“Pitch said they were Moon Chosen.” He whispered back, tearing his gaze from North’s tireless pacing to Bunny, who was fretfully turning an egg in his hands, holding a hushed conversation with Sandy, who looked worried.

And wasn’t that shocking? Sandy was the most grounded and calm out of all of them, and he looked worried. It didn’t bode well.

“But what does that mean? Does that mean they were chosen by The Man in the Moon? For what purpose? To kill Pitch? Why? He was defeated, dragged back to his own pit by his own nightmares. And what Pitch said…di we really kill people? Those armored things…they can’t be human. They didn’t feel human, they didn’t even feel alive! And what could they have possibly gained by burning that forest down? And why-“

“Whoa! Calm down, I’m on your side.” He patted her shoulder. “I don’t know the answers. We can only hope that North gets some answers.”

She watches him sidelong for a moment. “Do you think that He had something to do with this…I mean, the Man in the Moon?”

“I don’t know. What I do know is that the children of the world are acting strangely, and they need our help. And if we can talk to the Man in the Moon, we might get answers.”

She is silent for a moment, and he comes to a shocking realization.

“You think he does have something to do with this.”

“I…I don’t know. But being the Guardian of memories, sometimes I see things and I think, maybe he isn’t as kind and benevolent as he appears to be. North and Bunny are always giving hope and wonder, but those are very positive things, and memories are neither good nor bad, they just are. Sometimes I think that because of that, they don’t see the other parts in the world as often. They don’t see what I see.” She was silent for a moment. “He didn’t have a good reason to not tell you to come to me Jack. I don’t know why he would tell you your name and leave everything else. It doesn’t make sense.”

“It….That’s….”

“Aha!” North’s exuberant shout pulled Jack away from trying to say something to Tooth that he didn’t have words for. The moon was finally showing through the window.

“Manny, we have questions. Many strange and horrible things happening, and they say you may have part in it. Tell us truth. What is going on?” 

The moonbeams danced across the floor. When they reached an area in front of the globe, they shifted and formed into a caricature of Pitch.

“Pitch? No, he was being attacked. He was here, but he left. We do not know where he has gone.”

The moonbeams flickered, and Jack got the distinct impression they were angry. Tooth hunched in a little. He caught her eye-she felt it too. Jack could almost hear the words.  
The moonbeams scattered and then formed a picture with the Guardians and Pitch. _Are you working with Pitch?!_

“What are you asking? Are you asking if we are with Pitch? Surely you know we are not.”

The moonbeams scattered again, and reformed the same picture except everyone had weapons. _You are working with him, against me!_

“Why are you asking this? We have always worked with you, always stayed on the side of good!”

The moonbeams scattered angrily again, morphing into a set of pictures that looked like huddles of people having meetings, plotting-

Jack felt his breath catch. The Man in the Moon was accusing them of plotting with Pitch. 

This was not the Man in the Moon he thought he knew, certainly not the one the other Guardians knew. He could see the dawning horror and fear in the denizens of the workshop as they began to come to the same conclusion. 

Sandy and Bunny were tense in their corner. Bunny wasn’t looking up at the moon anymore. Sandy was sitting on a dream cloud, hands hidden in the sand. 

North was still arguing, trying to convince his old friend that they were still loyal, that he just wanted answers, but the Moonbeams were getting increasingly more erratic.

Then, just as suddenly, they stopped, and instead began to shine unerringly at the large crystal in the workshop.

As Jack watched, the light reflected in the crystal, and grew brighter and brighter. North frowned at it, looking back and forth from the moon to the crystal.

But he didn’t hesitate when the crystal started to emit a high pitched whine.

“Snowglobes! Everyone to snowglobes!”

^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*  
In the first Dark Age, man was but a risen monkey, struggling with life itself. My children walked amongst them, worrying their minds with thoughts of predators and disasters and loss of tribe.

They created fire. And the Dark Age was enlightened. But our presences stayed because there were plenty of things to fear, and that light only made the shadows darker.

Fire was used to burn anything that humans feared. But it was just fire, and it did not hurt us.

In the next Dark Age, stone temples were erected and whispers to gods that no longer held sway on the earth were answered. My children did their work beautifully, whispering fears into the hearts of men. Told them not to believe the words from the moon. It worked well, they stopped listening. 

He destroyed them. 

In the last Dark Age, I succeeded in turning humans away from the moon. But I got bloated on the fear and my mind soured, and I forgot about everything but the fear.

It was my undoing. He used that moment of weakness to send forth his soldiers. His Guardians.

The dark was enlightened. And I spiraled into a rage at the circumstances, fighting tooth and claw, living with the crippling loneliness. 

And I returned four centuries later. With my children. With my own hope that this would be the time, when the darkness was no longer enlightened.

**^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^

He finds them in the cold and dark. 

It had been his code for this place for as long as he could remember, the icy crevasses entirely inhospitable to humans and their technology. 

Somewhere above there is a sculpture of darkness and ice, which is so fitting to this place.

His children are milling about, some injured, others tired and dragging their hooves. They all have an air of hopelessness about them. He too feels it. But wasn’t this how it was supposed to be, what everyone had wanted it to be? The bad guy always loses. Good and light triumph. 

Regardless of what that means.

He moves through the herd, stroking manes and faces, before he stands in front of the young mare that had fought sleeping before. She has a gash on her shoulder, golden sand dripping from it in lieu of blood. He uses what little energy he has left to seal the wound. 

They are hidden from the moon here. Not for long. But maybe enough to rest before running yet again, to a more inhospitable place. 

Just a few hours rest.


	7. Let me tell you a story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Pitch talk about the past, Jack makes some horrible discoveries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the lack of update. My rl is a bit hectic (finishing a big report-maybe one day I shall graduate, dear readers).
> 
> Anyway, hope you all enjoy this chapter. I love comments, and hope that you do me the honor of leaving some in the box below.
> 
> Also, I don't own RoTG.
> 
> Hope you all are having a good April!
> 
> \--Splotch

Jack finds him in the cold and dark.

He wasn’t actually looking- no, that wasn’t quite true. He had been looking, but had not known where to look. He kicks himself a little now, because he should have looked here first, the testament to their shared loneliness and differing points of view. 

Points which were not so different now, perhaps.

But he hadn’t actually been looking when he landed here. He had been escaping away from the stress and pain and confusion caused by the Man in the Moon. 

The workshop was nearly destroyed. Nicholas St. North’s forces scattered to wherever they had screamed for the globes to take them. He was certain there were casualties.

He had been standing by Pitch’s monument when he heard the snuffle. He had whirled around to see the nightmare scratching at the ice and moving bleakly about, seemingly not caring it was out in the open.

He watched it, followed it down in the crevasse and found Pitch.

Pitch, who looked as bleak as his mares. Who looked personally defeated but too stubborn to lay down and die.

He had been hiding in that cave. He was no longer a threat. But the Man in the Moon had still attempted to burn him alive. Why? What could he have accomplished? His enemy had already been beaten.

“If you stay like that any longer, Jack, you shall become part of the scenery. Stop hiding.”

“I wasn’t hiding.” Jack retorted, landing at the bottom of the crevasse and walking slowly towards Pitch.

“That is a relief. I would have been sorely disappointed if you had believed you were.” Pitch said back tiredly. He had one long fingered hand tangled in the mane of a mare. The mare was hanging its head down, leaning into the touch.

“How long have you been down here?” He asked, watching the other mares warily. They ignored him. Some were limping, other were lying prone on the ground, barely moving.

Exhausted.

“How long do you think? Since I left you at your workshop.” Pitch sneered a bit at him. “Why aren’t you there with your precious Guardians?”

“He destroyed the workshop.” He blurted out. He was surprised at himself for being so forthcoming. 

“…I’m sorry.”

Jack stared at the Nightmare King. Of all the responses he expected, that was not one. Nor did he expect the other spirit to actually sound sincere. Suddenly, he was gripped with a need to know, to understand.

“Why? What is this thing between you and him? Why is this happening? IS he sick? Has he always been like this? Please, please tell me you know something, anything, anything we can use to stop this…this madness!” The dam had been leaking before, and now it burst. “Why does he hate you so much? Why are all the kids acting this way? What could he have to gain by this? Why did he blow up the shop? Do you know something? You have to tell me! Please!”

With every question he had gotten closer until his last plea was cried a mere few inches from Pitch’s face.

The older spirit is silent, watching him. Then he spoke.

“I had imagined this moment, you know. I had thought that I might rub this in your face, this foolish belief of yours in your man in the moon. Delight in your cringing. But try as I may, I find myself reluctant to do so. Maybe it is because your world has been shaken. It is more likely that it is because our world is ending.” He disentangles his hand from the mare’s agitated mane, allowing her to trot away. “Would you like to hear a story, Jack?”

“Will it give me answers?” He asked in exasperation, his heart hurting a bit from the onslaught of emotions he was feeling.

“Maybe. If you listen.” Pitch smirked a bit. 

“Fine. Tell me a story.”

“Once upon a time, when time was not accurately measured, there was nothing in all the worlds but a barren, dead universe. But Life always strives to fill that void, and from that wasteland budded life in the form of spirits. Born of water, earth, fire, and wind, they were born without purpose, centerless. As they began to mold the world around them, they began to find purpose. They lived in peace, without understanding of loss or pain or hate. Those purposes had not been invented and had no spirits to claim them. And then, one day, a beautiful being arrived.

This being, a creature of golden soft light, shining and beautiful, descended amongst the spirits, and attracted them. The spirits were pleased with his form, and flocked to him.

But one spirit noticed that some spirits would go to this being, and not return. It waited for them to return, but they never did. Never.

It was then that this spirit discovered a purpose. Because when this golden being tried to attract it, in the same way as the missing spirits, it was rooted to the spot and would not come. When the being tried to reach out for it, the spirit ran, full of something powerful, making it run faster than ever before.

Pleased with its gift and desiring to share it with everyone, to stop them from going and disappearing with this terrible being, this golden god, it gave this new feeling to every spirit it could.

But for all of the good it had done this spirit, the others did not see it as a gift. This gift made them fear the golden one, made them run from him, but made them run from this young spirit as well. And this spirit attempted to run with them, but they ran from it, terrified. It was the first time they had felt fear.

But the spirit had not thought far enough ahead. And while the others ran, he was left behind. With a terrible, angry Lunar God. And then he felt what his center truly was.”

“…Fear.” Jack whispered.

“Yes. Fear. And from that one moment in time, the Lunar God and the Spirit of Fear spent the next eternity fighting. The Lunar God would attempt to gain power. The Spirit of Fear would sabotage him through the Lunar God’s followers. The Lunar God in return destroyed his children. A vicious cycle, in which the only loser was the spirit who could not seem to stop fighting and spreading fear.”

“Why didn’t he just destroy you? And return to doing…whatever he was doing with the other spirits?”

“I cannot say. But I think at first he let me live as a punishment before he realized how much of a thorn I could be. But now…I think that fear stops him from being able to destroy the other spirits. Perhaps it is an absence of fear that allows him to do what he does. As long as I am alive, fear will never truly be gone.” Pitch smiled wanly. “One last insult.”

“Did you say you had children?” Jack’s head was spinning from all the new information.

“…They are made by my own essence, even if I use Sanderson’s sand. They are my children and they have my form.” Pitch gestured to the mares milling about.

Jack felt his heart grow colder than usual. That fight in Burgess…

“You sent them in…and we…”

“So much fear. It is a strange center. When there is too much, I cannot control myself, I hurt them and everyone I come across. When there is too little, I become desperate, and I despair for them. I hurt them, I feel pain when they die. It is their misfortune, to have such a spirit for a father. But I cannot stop them from following me, because I am weak. I cannot stand to be alone anymore. I tried once, and to my shame, I relieved when they wouldn’t leave me.” Pitch smoothed rubbed a hand across the shoulder of one of the mares.

Jack stayed quiet for a moment. “…you said they had your form?”

“Yes. I used to have hooves.” Pitch shrugged.

Jack watched Pitch, watched the milling mares. This was a side of Pitch he didn’t know existed. A side of the Man in the Moon that he didn’t know existed.

“You’ve fought him a long time. Do you know of anything we can do to stop him?”

“I have fought him a long time. And the only thing that had any sort of effect was to give his followers fear. It weakened him.” Pitch sighed. “But he is currently flooding this world with fearless beings.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Jack felt his mind piecing some thoughts together. “If I can come up with a plan to stop him, will you stand with us? To stop him?”

“It is far too late for that, Jack.” Pitch said.

“It is never too late. Trust me.” Jack hopped up the crevasse. “I am going to talk with the Guardians. I’m going to make a plan. We can’t sit around and do nothing!”

Pitch watched him go with no emotion showing on his face.


End file.
